Anecdotal evidence has linked the full phase of the moon with increased hospital admissions, poorer behavior in dementia patients, and suicides. However, a study in the 1990s examined 100 studies on lunar effects and concluded that the phase of the moon has no correlation with increased hospital admissions, poorer behavior in dementia patients, or suicides. Yet many continue to believe that the phase of the moon affects these things. This is an example of:
Explanation
Answer: C - Continuing to believe that the phase of the mood affects hospital admission rates, behavior, and suicides, despite evidence to the contrary, is an example of confirmation bias.
Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor our initial thoughts and ignore contradictory information. In the above example, one will place greater weight to one bad night in the hospital during a full moon as compared to many scientific studies that show no correlation between hospital admissions and the phase of the moon. This is likely the case because it is much more difficult to change our worldview (e.g., the phase of the moon is related to certain events), than it is to ignore evidence that doesn’t match our worldview.
